ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Angels’ night ended the same way so many have this season: with another loss, this one a 7-3 defeat to the Yankees. But before the final score settled in, there was already plenty to unpack from a day that began with news off the field and finished with more of the same on it.
The backdrop was a busy one for the franchise, with the announcement that owner Arte Moreno was selling a majority stake of the team to Stan Kroenke. Once the game got underway, though, the Angels were quickly pushed into familiar territory.
Grayson Rodriguez was tagged early, with Spencer Jones launching a two-run home run in the first inning and Jazz Chisholm Jr. following with a solo shot on the very next pitch to put the Yankees ahead 3-0. Rodriguez didn’t stay shaky for long. After that opening burst, he settled into the outing and allowed one more run the rest of the way.
He finished with four earned runs over six innings, striking out seven and issuing two walks.
“Changeup started working a little bit better for me, made some adjustments with it,” Rodriguez said was the key to settling in after the first inning. “They took some bad swings on it, so really worked that into the game plan.”
Rodriguez said the strike zone was there for him in this one, and the numbers backed it up. He threw strikes at a 67% clip and got ahead with the first pitch in 81% of his plate appearances.
That kind of strike-throwing has been a recurring theme for the Angels’ rotation. August closed with the staff posting the lowest rotation ERA in baseball for the month at 2.51. During that stretch, Angels starters also filled the zone at a 44.2% rate, the best mark in the majors.
“Any time you're a pitcher, it's hard to pitch from behind,” Rodriguez said. “Getting ahead is step one.
I've said this a lot, but a lot of outings, when you struggle, it's cuz you're falling behind in the count. You can't pitch behind in the count to big-league hitters.
That's just not how it is.”
On the other side of the box score, Wade Meckler kept swinging a hot bat. He went 3-for-4, giving him three straight games with multiple hits. Since returning from the concussion injured list, Meckler is 8-for-17, a .470 run over that stretch.
“It’s a very simple approach, simple swing,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “Not a lot of movement, as you guys can tell, but, he just finds a way to put the barrel on the ball.
That’s a skill, and he can do it really well. I think the key with him is he knows himself.
He knows who he is. He doesn’t try to do too much and he just barrels it up.”
Meckler’s season line now sits at .302 with a .770 OPS, and his value hasn’t been limited to the batter’s box. He’s also turned in some memorable work in the outfield, including the home run robbery in the ninth inning on Friday night.
“He's been a model of consistency, I guess, to say the least, the spark plug, whatever you want to call it. He doesn't say much, just goes out there and plays like a maniac and has great at-bats.”
In Other News...
Mike Trout Just Sent Angels Fans A Massive Message
Mike Trout has made his position clear as the Angels head into another major off-field transition. With Arte Moreno set to sell a controlling interest in the franchise to Stan Kroenke while retaining a minority stake, Trout said he intends to finish his career in Anaheim and has no plans to request a trade, offering a steadying message at a time when the organization is once again changing at the top.
For Angels fans, that matters because Trout remains the face of the franchise and the most important piece of its future. He also sounded optimistic about the incoming ownership, pointing to Kroenkes reputation for backing championship-caliber teams, a sign that Trout sees the change as an opportunity rather than another reason for uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Fans Suddenly Have One Huge Reason To Watch This Ownership Shift
After years of speculation around the Angels long-term direction, the franchise is headed into a new chapter with Arte Moreno announcing a transfer to Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. Moreno framed the move as a clean handoff to a group he believes brings the right mix of experience and success, a notable shift for a club whose direction has been a constant talking point for fans.
Stan Kroenke, whose sports portfolio already spans multiple franchises, now becomes the central figure in a change that could reshape how the Angels operate and are viewed going forward. For a fan base that has spent plenty of time waiting for a different kind of stability, the real intrigue is no longer whether change is coming - it is how quickly it starts to show up around the organization. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Fans Finally Got The Ownership Reset They Wanted
After years of frustration and repeated calls for change, Angels fans may finally be getting the ownership reset they have been asking for. ESPN reported that Arte Moreno is selling the Los Angeles Angels to Stan Kroenke, the Rams owner, a development that would mark a major turning point for a franchise that has not reached the postseason since 2014.
Kroenke already signaled confidence in what comes next, issuing a statement that expressed optimism about the Angels organizations future. For a fan base that has spent a long time waiting for a different direction at the top, the sale brings a fresh sense of possibility, even if the real test will be what happens once the new ownership era actually begins. [Read more 🡒]